TIMBER PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 515, 24 May 1909, Page 2

TIMBER PROBLEMS.

AT THE COMMISSION ON SATURDAY. EVIDENCE FROM TAIHAPE., The Timber Commission, sat ngain on Saturday morning at tho Dominion Musoum to take' ovidenco. All tho ineniborß wore present. Tlie first witness, Charles Hutton, gave evidence as to unemployment among sawmill hands in tho Taibapo district, as, reported under another heading. Ho Baid they attributed tho presont state of affairs to tho importation of Oregon pine. \ Mr. Arnold: If wo prohibit Oregon, and a busy timo comes round again, as no doubt it will, will not tho millers bo able to charge what they like , for timber?—l think, would bo satisfied with a fair thing. _ . ' Henry Donovan,' sawmill worker, Taihapo, said ho was appointed with tho last witness to give evidence on bohalf of a mooting of workers., It would bo bettor for the workers if tho importation of Oregon was stopped. al« together. He had been three- months out ot work, and the mill where, ho was now work-' iiiß might not bo running much longer. To Mr. Field: The orders fell off about tho time when tho Oregon began to convo in in large quantities.; The slackening-oil: was chiefly noticeable in 0.8. timber'.. To Mr. Hanan: Tho improvements in tho large up-to-date mills did not onablo them to produco the timber more cheaply, though tho work was mado easier for the men.- ' Small mills were tho most payable in difficult oountry... .-.,. . • .--. ... v ~'; TIMBER FOR THE RAILWAYS. J. S. Hutohinson, railway storekeeper, Pβtone, questioned by the chairman (Hon T. Y. Duncan, M.P.), said the Department had obtained fewer sleepors from tiio millers,lately, .because tho latter seemed to have difficulty in supplying them. : .".'. ... ", ' To Mr. Hanan: Ho had had great difficulty in getting the orders for timber for tho Wellington district supplied,. Heart rimu had boen tho most difficult to obtain. They had used jarrah instead, also some kauri and a little Oregon; but none of the last-named for. a considerable timo! Since the slump in sawmilling, they had received moro consideration . from the local millers." Among reasons for tho djfncultydn getting local timber promptly supplied, it had been stated,by millers that the sizes wanted by the Department were, not tho usual onos.. ' . • '■' To Mr. Jennings: Ho did not know, whether tho Railway Department ha'd tried to get'timber from the Public Works Department's mill at Kakahi. .■'./' To Mr. Loyland: Tho difficulty was largely duo. to the snail porcentago of a rimu log which wns good heart timber." Mr. Morrisj speaking as , a sawmiller, oxplained that ho had refused Government orders because of tho odd, sizes required, making tho timber cut to Government requirements unsuitable for other customers. To Mr. Ell: Tho Department purchased in tho Wellington district last year 1,349,000 ft. of rimu; 215,250 ft. of totara, 130,500 ft. of matai, ,183,000 ft. of white pine, '155,334 ft. of kauri, and 2000 ft. of birch. In the same period and district; 1900 totara sleepers wore purchased, 73,664 white pine sleepers for creosoting, 22,781 of sawn jarrah, and 131.9U0 of hewn jarrah. There was difficulty in obtaining, hoart rimu ,for the interior finishing of railway carriages. To Mr. Stallworthy: Tho sawmillors had accepted orders and failed'to supply tho'n >so the Department was obliged to make, other arrangements. ■' . < A BUILDER -WANTING FREE OREGON. Alexander Campbell, builder, Wellington, gavo reasons for tho free importation' of Oregon' timber, hie evidence being similar to that of other Wellington buildore who woro heard on Friday afternoon. Hβ said, there was not a yard in Wellington which liad a stock of clean totara, suitable for joinery. Much of what was called first-class timber was not good enough for joinery. A lot of the timber supplied as 50 per oont. or 75 por cent, heart, would not be passed by a,ny clerk of works. It was this 'class of timber, not 0.8 rimu, that was being replaced by Oregon. Tho extended use of concrete displaced a great deal of tim■t,er. ' ■■■ ■■■ ■', '■ ■ ■.'.; ,"■. .••. '.' .' ■ '.r ; To Mr; Field: It was absolutely necessary to have Orogon for tho largo eizes. It was now being used for shelves and fittings in Wellington, as kauri could not be got. l Ho had never had a stick of Oregon condemned by a clerk of works, though this was a .frequent experience with local timber. . Tie breaking strain of' Oregon was twice that of 0.8. rimu, but less than that of heart rimu. Oregon had not been used for small buildings. ; To Mr. Barber: Ho had never Been so many carpenters out of work in Wellington as at present. Some of them were good men whom his firm had paid more than the award wages. In six years 0.8. timber had risen from Bs, 9d. : to 14e. Cd., and other jines had increased also. Tho cost of build? ing a cottagohad boon increased £50 by the rise in timber. Ho had bought, through the Timber Merchants' Association, becauso if he applied to tho country millers he was referred to tho'city mon. An attempt; was made to cause builders to deal only.through tho. association. It was impossible to' use "rimu and totara under pulp piaster,: aa they twisted, shrunk, and buckled; Oregon did not. ■ ■ •■■■■■ •• ....'. To Mr. Hanan: Tho 0.8. timber now supplied would not have been sent to build ft shed with 15 years ago. At that time all tho timber required for the joinery could bo picked out of tho 0.8. timber supplied for building a house. Tho Government would find it cheaper to build workers' dwellings in brick' than in wood. Most of tho timber ho used camo from tho North Island.,. Hβ would not havo West Coast timber. ; To Mr. Jennings: Ho had "ot tried the Main Trunk mills. . He knew ono could got timber at.' any,'price nt the mills at Bio present time. •■ Ho used redwood for joinery, because ho could not get heart of totara at a.reasonable price. ..■;■• ■■.■,.-'■■■ To Mr. Clarke: Tho millers and merchants had invited foreign competition by putting up the price of timber. ' Builders had had to contend with n couple of risea in price during tho currency of a contract. At 1 p.m. .the commission adjourned until 9 a.m. on Tuesday. ■